Self-closing, sliding door assembly

ABSTRACT

A self-closing, sliding door assembly in which a latch arm is pivotally mounted for selective movement into engagement with a counterweight that is connected to a sliding door movable between open and closed limits, the counterweight tending to move the door to the closed limit and the latch arm selectively holding the door in the open limit. The latch arm is weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit. More particularly, the latch arm has one end selectively movable under the counterweight while a stop limits rotation of the latch arm so that the latch arm can support the counterweight. The other end of the latch arm is weighted relative to the one end engageable with the counterweight so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which the one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm.

nited States Patent [191 Trulaske 1 SELF-CLOSING, SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Arthur W. Trulaske, Frontenac, Mo.

[73] Assignee: True Manufacturing Company, Inc.,

St. Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: Oct. 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,992

[75] Inventor:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES'PATENTS 8/1870 Hart ..49/379 9/1933 Goodrich 292/238 Primary ExaminerKenneth Downey AttorneyCohn, Powell & Hind Sept. 25, 1973 [5 7 ABSTRACT A self-closing, sliding door assembly in which a latch arm is pivotally mounted for selective movement into engagement with a counterweight that is connected to a sliding door movable between open and closed limits, the counterweight tending to move the door to the closed limit and the latch arm selectively holding the door in the open limit. The latch arm is weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit. More particularly, the latch arm has one end selectively movable under the counterweight while a stop limits rotation of the latch arm so that the latch arm can support the counterweight. The other end of the latch arm is weighted relative to the one end engageable with the counterweight so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which the one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to improvements in a self-closing, sliding door assembly adapted for display cabinets, coolers and the like, and more particularly to a latching mechanism that will hold a door in the open limit and which will be automatically conditioned to release the door for movement to the closed limit.

In the heretofore conventional sliding door assemblies for display cabinets and coolers, one type of construction utilized was an uncounterbalanced door. Under these circumstances, the door had to be manually opened and closed. In those assemblies in which the door was counterbalanced, the door had to be held open manually in order to withdraw or place items within the cabinet. In addition, there were door assemblies in which a latch was provided which could be digitally actuated into position to engage the door to hold the door in an open position. However, in such assembly, the latch had to be also digitally actuated to disengage the door, thereby requiring a positive and intentional manual operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present self-closing, sliding door assembly, the door is counterbalanced and can be held in its open limit by an improved latch arm engageable with the counterbalance. Items can be withdrawn and placed into the cabinet using both hands. It is not necessary to have one hand holding the door open. Moreover, the door can be automatically released by simply urging the door a slight distance toward its open limit, whereby the door will then automatically close. This door-releasing movement does not require any digital manipulation and can be accomplished simply by pressing any part of the person or any object carried by such person against the door.

In the present door assembly, a latch arm is pivotally mounted for selective movement into engagement with a counterweight, connected to the door and tending to move the door to its closed limit, to hold the door in its open limit, the latch arm being weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit.

The latch arm has one end selectively movable under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open position when the door is moved to the openlimit. A stop is provided for limiting rotation of the latch arm when pivotally moved under the counterweight.

The other end of the latch arm is weighted relative to the end that is movable selectively under the counterweight so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which the counterweightengaging end is disengaged from the counterweifht when the counterweight load is removed from the arm.

In the assembly, the counterweight is movably located in an elongate enclosure on the side wall of the cabinet inside of the door. The latch arm is pivotally mounted to the side wall and is selectively pivoted to move its one end into the enclosure and under the counterweight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a display cabinet, and particularly a beverage cooler;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of the counterweight and latch assembly showing the latch arm engaging and supporting the counterweight;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 3, but showing the latch arm moved to its inoperative position as the counterweight load is removed from the arm, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, illustrating a front interior comer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, and first to FIG. 1, it will be understood that the particular type of self-closing, sliding door assembly is suitable for display cabinets, coolers and storage cabinets. The cabinet generally indicated by 10 in FIG. 1 has an opening defined by a ceiling 11, floor 12 (FIG. 2), and by a pair of laterally opposed side walls 13 one of which is shown in FIG. 5. A pair of slidably mounted doors 14 and 15 are slidably mounted to provide a closure for thecabinet opening.

Mounted on the cabinet floor 12 and extending between the side walls 13 is an elongate double-channel guide track 16. Each channel 17 and 20 contains a plurality of rollers 21. A compatible and coacting doublechannel track 22 is mounted to the ceiling 11 and extends between the opposed cabinetside walls 13. The channels 23 and 24 of the ceiling track 22 are aligned vertically above the cooperating channels 17 and 20 respectively of floor track 16.

The door 14 is slidably mounted in the vertically aligned guide channels 17 and 23, the channel 17 embracing the door bottom and the channel 23 embracing the door top. The bottom of door 14 seats on rollers 21. Similarly, the channel 20 embraces the bottom of door 15 while channel 24 embraces the top of such door 15. The bottom of door 15 seats on rollers 21.

The cooperating pair of doors 14 and 15 are located vertically in side by side parallel planes. Each door 14 or 15 is adapted to close substantially one half of the cabinet opening. When both doors l4 and 15 are closed, the entire cabinet opening is enclosed as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the doors 14 or 15 is independently movable horizontally in a vertical plane along its own guide channels 17-23 and 20-24 respectively to either an open or a closed limit.

A counterweight assembly is associated with each of the doors 14 and 15. Because the counterweight assemblies are substantially identical in construction, a detailed description of one will suffice for the other.

An elongate enclosure 25 is fixed to the side wall 13, the enclosure 25 extending substantially vertical from the floor 12 substantially to the ceiling 11, and is disposed just inside of the double-channel floor and ceiling track 16 and 22 and closely adjacent the side of the associated door 14. The elongate enclosure 25 is open at its top as is best shown in FIG. 2. Reciprocatively and slidably mounted in the elongate enclosure 25 is an elongate counterweight 26 having an eye fastener 27 at its top.

Means is provided to interconnect the door 14 and the counterweight 26 to translate the gravitational pull of the counterweight 26 into a force applied to the door 14 tending to move the door 14 to the closed limit. This means includes a bracket 30 fixed to the side wall 13 and located within the open top of elongate enclosure 25. A double-bend tube generally indicated by 31 is fixed to the bracket 30 as by welding or the like. The tube 31 includes an elongate end portion 32 extending vertically above the counterweight 26 in the elongate enclosure 25, the end portion 32 determining the point of suspension of the counterweight 26. The tube 31 includes another elongate end portion 33 located in the channel 23 above the top of door 14, and extending generally in the door plane in the direction of door movement. An intregal, continuous transverse tube portion 34 extends between and interconnects the end portions 32 and 33 by gradual bends. Specifically, the transverse tube portion 34 extends between the bridges the counterweight enclosure 25 and the channel 23. The transverse tube portion 34 extends through a small slot 35 (FIG. formed in the innermost flange 36 of channel 23, and is supported by such flange 36.

A sash line 37 extends through the tube 31, one end of sash line 37 extending over the top of door 14 and fixed to the rear side of door 14 by a screw 40. The other end of sash line 37 extends downwardly into the enclosure 25 for attachment to the counterweight eye fastener 27.

The extremities of tube portions 32 and 33 are flared to avoid abrading of the sash line 37.

When the door 14 is in its closed limit, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the counterweight 26 is located in its lowermost position within the enclosure 25. When the door 14 is moved from the closed limit toward the open limit, the sash line is pulled through the tube 31 to raise the counterweight 26. When the door 14 is released, the gravitational pull of the counterweight 26, acting through the sash line 37, will pull the door 14 back to the closed limit.

The configuration of tube 31 is such that the sash line 31 extends vertically upward from counterweight 26 parallel to the door 14, is turned through 90 to become perpendicular to the door 14, and then turned through a further 90 to become substantially in line with the top of door 14 and in the door plane. The tube portion 32 points downwardly into the counterweight enclosure 25 substantially away from the ceiling 11, while the end portion 33 points inwardly of the cabinet away from the side wall 13.

The counterweight assemblies are fully disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,328,105 issued June 27, 1967.

The latching assembly includes a latch arm generally indicated by 41 pivotally mounted to the side wall 13 by a pivot pin 42, constituting a pivot means, closely adjacent the side of elongate enclosure 25. One arm end 43 is selectively movable through a side enclosure slot 44 and into the enclosure as the arm 41 is pivotally moved from its substantially vertical position shown in FIG. 2 to its substantially horizontal position shown in FIG. 3. When the counterweight 26 is raised as the door 14 is moved to its open limit, the latch arm 41 can be pivoted to its horizontal position as shown in FIG. 3 in which the arm end 43 underlies and engages the counterweight 26. The opposite arm end 45 engages a stop 46 attached to the cabinet side wall 13 to limit rotation of the latch arm 41 so that the arm 41 supports the counterbalance load. The door 14 is thereby maintained in its open limit.

For reasons which will later appear, it will be understood that the door 14 can be moved a further, though slight distance in the direction of its open limit and that the counterweight 26 can thereby be moved upwardly an additional distance in the elongate enclosure 25.

The latch arm end 45 is weighted relative to the opposite arm end 43 so that the latch arm 41 will pivot automatically under gravity from the horizontal, latched position shown in FIG. 3 to the substantially vertical, unlatched position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. As the counterweight 26 is raised upwardly in the elongate enclosure 25 so that the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm 41 and the counterweight 26 clears the arm end 43, the latch arm 41 will pivot under gravity from the latch position shown in FIG.3 to the unlatched position shown in FIG. 4. As soon as the latch arm 41 is withdrawn from the enclosure 25, the counterweight 26 can and does move down under gravity in the enclosure 25 and thereby moves the door 14 to its closed limit.

It is thought that the functional advantages of the latch mechanism has become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of parts, but for completeness of disclosure, the operation of the latch mechanism will be briefly described. It will be assumed that the door 14 is in its closed limit and that it is desired to open such door to gain access to the cabinet.

The door is moved toward and to the open limit, thereby raising the counterweight 26 in its elongate enclosure 25. While the door is in the open limit, the latch arm 41 is pivoted to its substantially horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 in which the arm end 43 is moved into the enclosure 25 and under the counterweight 26, and the opposite arm end 45 engages the stop 46. When the door 14 is released, the counterweight 26 seats on the arm end 43 and the counterweight load is supported by the latch arm 41 and its stop 46, thereby maintaining the door 14 in its open limit.

To close the door 14, the door 14 is urged a slight distance in a direction toward its open limit so as to raise the counterweight 26 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4. At this time, the weighted latch arm 41 will automatically rotate from its latched, horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 to its unlatched, vertical position shown in FIG. 4 in which the arm end 43 is withdrawn from the enclosure 25 and out from under the counterweight 26. Immediately, the counterweight 26 can and does move down under gravity in the elongate enclosure 25 from its uppermost position shown in FIG. 4 to its lowermost position shown in FIG. 2, thereby moving the door 14 automatically from its open limit to its closed limit.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly:

a. a door,

b. means slidably mounting the door for movement between open and closed limits,

0. a counterweight connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit,

d. a latch arm, and

e. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm the latch arm being weighted for an aligned position out of the path of the counterweight under gravity,

the latch arm being pivoted for selective movement from this position into engagement with the counterweight to hold the door in the open limit, the latch arm being weighted to move automatically but of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit.

2. A self-closing, sliding door assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:

f. the latch arm has one end selectively movable under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit when the door is moved to the open limit, and

g. stop means spaced from the pivot means and limiting rotation of the latch arm when said arm is pivotally moved under the counterweight said stop means cooperating with the pivot means to support the counterweight the latch arm moving automatically out of the path of the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed.

3. A self-closing, sliding door assembly as defined in claim 2, in which:

h. an enclosure is provided for the counterweight,

. said latch arm one end is selectively movable into and out of said enclosure,

j. the latch arm has its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position out of said enclosure in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm.

4. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly:

a. a cabinet including a side wall,

b. a door,

c. means slidably mounting the door to the cabinet for movement in a plane between open and closed limits, 1

d. an elongate enclosure on the side wall inside of the door,

e. a counterweight movably located in and guided by the enclosure, the counterweight being connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit,

f. a latch arm,

g. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm to the side wall adjacent the enclosure, the latch arm being selectively pivoted to move one end of the arm into the enclosure and under the counterweight when the door is moved to the open limit,

h. means limiting rotation of the latch arm when the said one end is moved under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit, and

. the latch arm having its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit.

5. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly:

a. a cabinet including a side wall b. a door mounted to the cabinet 0. means slidably mounting the door for movement between open and closed limits, the said means maintaining the door movement in a plane,

(1. an elongate enclosure located on the side wall inside of the door,

e. a counterweight movably located in the enclosure, the counterweight being connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit,

f. a latch arm,

g. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm to the side wall for selective movement into engagement with the counterweight to hold the door in the open limit, the latch arm being weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm,

h. the latch arm having one end selectively movable into the enclosure and under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit when the door is moved to the open limit,

i. means limiting rotation of the latch arm when pivotally moved under the counterweight to support the counterweight,

j. the latch arm having its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm, as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit. 

1. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly: a. a door, b. means slidably mounting the door for movement between open and closed limits, c. a counterweight connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit, d. a latch arm, and e. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm the latch arm being weighted for an aligned position out of the path of the counterweight under gravity, the latch arm being pivoted for selective movement from this position into engagement with the counterweight to hold the door in the open limit, the latch arm being weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit.
 2. A self-closing, sliding door assembly as defined in claim 1, in which: f. the latch arm has one end selectively movable under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit when the door is moved to the open limit, and g. stop means spaced from the pivot means and limiting rotation of the latch arm when said arm is pivotally moved under the counterweight said stop means cooperating with the pivot means to support the counterweight the latch arm moving automatically out of the path of the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed.
 3. A self-closing, sliding door assembly as defined in claim 2, in which: h. an enclosure is provided for the counterweight, i. said latch arm one end is selectively movable into and out of said enclosure, j. the latch arm has its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position out of said enclosure in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm.
 4. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly: a. a cabinet including a side wall, b. a door, c. means slidably mounting the door to the cabinet for movement in a plane between open and closed limits, d. an elongate enclosure on the side wall inside of the door, e. a counterweight movably located in and guided by the enclosure, the counterweight being connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit, f. a latch arm, g. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm to the side wall adjacent the enclosure, the latch arm being selectively pivoted to move one end of the arm into the enclosure and under the counterweight when the door is moved to the open limit, h. means limiting rotation of the latch arm when the said one end is moved under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit, and i. the latch arm having its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit.
 5. In a self-closing, sliding door assembly: a. a cabinet including a side wall b. a door mounted to the cabinet c. means slidably mounting the door for movement between open and closed limits, the said means maintaining the door movement in a plane, d. an elongate enclosure located on the side wall inside of the door, e. a counterweight movably located in the enclosure, the counterweight being connected to the door and tending to move the door to the closed limit, f. a latch arm, g. a pivot means pivotally mounting the latch arm to the side wall for selective movement into engagement with the counterweight to hold the door in the open limit, the latch arm being weighted to move automatically out of engagement with the counterweight as the counterweight load is removed from the latch arm, h. the latch arm having one end selectively movable into the enclosure and under the counterweight to support the counterweight and hold the door in the open limit when the door is moved to the open limit, i. means limiting rotation of the latch arm when pivotally moved under the counterweight to support the counterweight, j. the latch arm having its other end weighted relative to said one end so that the latch arm will pivot automatically under gravity to a position in which said one end is disengaged from the counterweight when the counterweight load is removed from the arm, as the door is moved a further distance in the direction of the open limit, thereby releasing the counterweight to move the door toward the closed limit. 